Air-lift booster



1. OLIPHANT. y I

AIR LI FT BOOSTER. APPLICATION FILED bec. s. 1916.

1,385,708. Patented July 26, 1921.

' IIIIIIII n III OOOOOOOOOOOO UNITED STATES' PATENT OFFICE.

MACHINERY COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

AIR-LIFT BOOSTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 26, 1921.

Application led December 6, 1916. Serial No. 135,386.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I,'J'0HN OLIPHANT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of 'Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Air-Lift Boosters, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

My invention relates to air lift boosters.

It has for its object to provide improved means whereb the buoyancy of the float within an air ift booster maybe adjusted. A more specific object of myinvcntion is to provide improved means whereby the valve controlling float within the booster tank or casing may be adjusted or balanced from the exterior of the booster tank in such a manner as to enable the buoyancy thereof effectively to operate the regulating valve, these means preferably being reversible and of such a character that a wide range of adjustment is obtained. These and other objects of my-improved construction will, however, hereinafter more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown, for purposes of illustration, one embodiment which my invention may assume in ractice.

n these drawings,-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an air lift system equipped with my improvement, the booster being shown in section.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the booster casing so equipped.

Fig. 3 1s a side elevation, partially in sec-" tion, of the booster casing showing the oat therein.

-Fig. 4 is. a detail vertical sectional vie-w through the lloat controlling and adjusting mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a detail vertical sectional View showing a modied arrangement of the controlling and adjusting mechanism.

As is usual in such systems, it will be noted that I have shown in this illustrative construction, a compressor 1, which may be of` any suitable design, connected through a discharge pipe 2 with a suitable receiver 3, which is in turn connected through a pi 4 with a down pipe 5 of a suitable air lift pump 6 disposed within the well. This pump 6 acts in the usual manner to mix the .air with the fluid in the well in such 'amanner as tov-cause the mixture to pass forced out in the usual manner through thek discharge line 9 by the back pressure de veloped 1n the booster casing, while the excess air passes out through a booster valve 10 controlled by a float 1l, to the atmosphere or preferably to a pipe 12 connected to the 1n et of the compressor, as shown. These features of such a system are well known, and as they do not per se concern my present invention, they need not be more specifically described.

In this illustrative construction, it will be noted that the float 11, with which my present invention is concerned, is sho-wn to be of the diving bell type and carried on a rod 11a fixed to the bottom of the booster casing. Obviously, however, it may be of any desiredtype. As shown, the float is also; provided with an upstanding sleeve-like eX- tension 13 threaded into a collar 14, which is in turn suitably vented at 15 and threaded on the lower end of a bolt 16. Disposed above this collar 14 and thus operatively connected to the float, is the valve 10 which, as shown, is hollow and provided with a plurality vof lateral outlets 17 and 18 adapted to communicate respectively with an outlet formed in the valve casing 19 and with the interior of the tank casing 8. As shown, the valve 10 is also provided with threaded portions 20 threaded to the bolt 16 and pre erably disposed both at its upper and its lower ends, the valve being also clamped against the collar 14 by means of an upper nut 21. This nut and bolt, as shown, extend through an enlarged opening 22 in an upper removable sleeved casting 23 suitably fixed to the top of the valve casing and closing the top o that casing. Threaded into this casting 1s also preferably an upstanding protecting sleeve 24, and in this sleeve and disposed around the bolt 16, is a coiled spring 25 having its tension adjustable by means of a nut 26 and a washer 27 adjustable on the bolt or by rotation of the sleeve 24. In a preferred form, this boltY is also suitably inclosed, as by a removable threaded cap 28, threaded over the end of the sleeve 24.

Obviously, in the operation'o-f my imv4the, spring 25 may be reversed in such proved device, the tension of the spring 25, and therefore the buoyancy' of the float 11, may be adjusted at will by simply adjusting the nut 26, or sleeve 24 so that the tendency of the spring to lift the valve and therefore balance the float, may be increased or decreased, as desired. Thus, it will be noted that a very convenient form of adjustment is provided and one wherein a very delicate adjustment of the buoyancy of the float may be obtained. It will also be evident that by changing the nut 26 from the topto the bottom of the sleeve, so as to engage the lower instead of the upper end of the spring 25 while permitting said upper end to engage the cap 28, the action of a manner as to retard instead of augment the buoyancy of the float, as is clearly shown in Fig.' '5. In either case, the tension of the spring may be adjusted by movement of the sleeve 24, nut 26, or both. These and other advantages of my improved construction will, however, be apparent to those skilled in the art. Y l

While I have in this application specifically described one embodiment which my invention may assume in practice, it is to be understood that the same may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from the spirit of the invention, it being my intention to include all such modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim las new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. In an air lift system, in combination, a booster having a pressure regulating means responsive to-the effects of pressure variations in the booster, and a resilient means for controlling the operation of said first named means. l

2. In an air lift system, in combination, a booster having a pressure regulating means responsive to the effects of pressure variations in the booster, and a resilent means adjustable from the outside of said booster for controlling the operation of said first named means.

3. In an air lift system, in combination, a booster having a pressure re ating means responsive to variations in t e liquid level in the booster, and a resilent means for controlling the operation of said first named means. 4. In an air lift system, in combination, a booster having a pressure re atin responsive to variations in e liquid level in the booster, and a resilient means adjustable from the outside of said booster for controlling the operation of said first named means. j

5. In an air lift system, in combination, at booster having mechanism' for maintaining a substantially constant liquid level therein means A comprising a valve controlling the discharge of air from said booster, a fioat for operating said valve, and adjustable resilient means for controlling the buoyancy of said float.

6. In combination with an air lift booster, mechanism for the purpose of maintaining substantially constant liquid level in said booster comprisin a valve controlling the discharge of air rom said booster, a fioat under the influence of which said valve is actuated, resilient means tending to move said valve in one direction, and means for adjusting the tension of said resilient means.

7. In an air lift system, in combination, a booster and means for maintaining a substantially constant liquid level in said booster comprising a valve controlling the discharge of air t erefrom, means for controlling said valve in accordance with the liquid level in said booster and including a fioat movable downwardly to open said valve and upwardly to close the same, and adjustable Vresilient means for controlling the buoyancy of said float.

8; In an air lift booster, in combination, a valve controlling the discharge of air therefrom, a float movable with said valve, and resilient means normally tending to move said valve in one direction, said parts having provision whereby the normal tendency` of said resilient means may be reversed.

9. In an air lift system, in combination, a booster having a pressure regulating means responsive to variations in the liquid level in the booster, a resilient means for controlling the operation of said first `named means, and an adjusting means for said resilient means including an adjustable protectin casing.

10. n an air lift system, in combination, a booster having a pressure re ating means responsive to variations in t e liquid level in the booster, a resilient means for oontrolling the operation of said `first named l means, an adjusting means for said resilient means, and a second adjusting means for said resilient means comprising an adjustable protecting casing having a cap' which is removable to permit adjustment o-f the first named adjust-in means.

11. In an air gft booster, in combination, a valve controlling the discharge of air therefrom, a float'connected to said valve for o erating the same, resilient means normal y projecting said valve in the saine direction .as the lifting act-ion' of saidfloat, and a plusV rality of means Kfor adjusting said last mentioned means: c

12. In an air lift booster, in combination, a.

j valve controlling the dischargeof air therefrom, a float connected to said Avalve for o erating the same, resilient means normal y projectmgsaid valve in the same direction as the lifting action of said float, and means including a nutand a sleeve for adjusting -said last mentioned means.

14. In an air lift booster, in combination, a.

valve controlling the discharge of air therefrom, a ioat for operating said valve, and resilient means for operating said valve, said resilient means being reversible to cause the same to oppose or augment the action of said iioat.

15. In an air lift booster, in combination,

a valve controlling the discharge of air from the booster, a float connected to the valve for operating the same, a rod connected to thevalve, and resilient means normally tending to pro'ect the valve and `rod in one direction, said valve and float v constituting means for maintaining a subvte stantially constant liquid level in said booster.

16. In combination, an air lift booster and means for maintaining a substantially constant liquid level therein comprising a valve controlling the discharge of. air therefrom, a float connected to said valve for operating the same, resilient means normally projecting said valve in the same direction as the lifting action of said float, and means for adjusting said last mentioned means.

17. In an air lift booster, in combination, a booster casing, a valve controlling the dislchargeof air therefrom, a float connected to said valve for operating the same, a rod connected to said valve, and resilient means adjustable from the exterior of said casing normally tending to project said valve and rod inone direction.

18. In an air lift booster, in combination, 'a valve controlling the discharge of air therefrom, a float connected to said valve and movable therewith, and resilient means normally projecting said valve in thesame direction as the lifting action of said iioat, said parts having provision whereby the eifect of said last mentioned means may be reversed.

19. In an air lift booster, in combination,

al valve controlling the discharge of air..

therefrom, a rod connectedto said valve, a iioat carried by said` rod, a sprin coiled about said-rod, a pair of oppositely isposed fixed abutments alternatively engageable by opposite ends of said spring respectively,

' and an abutment carried by said rod and movable into positions for engagement by either end of said spring.

20. In combination, an air lift booster and means for maintaining-a substantially constant liquid level in said booster com rising a valve controlling the discharge o air from said booster, a valve casing, a float connected to the valve for operating the same, a rod extending through the fioat and valve, and means including a spring coiled aroundy said rod normally tending to project the rod and valve in one direction.

21. In combination, an air lift booster comprising a booster casing and means for maintaining a substantially constant liquid level in said booster, comprising a valve controlling the discharge/of air therefrom, a valve casing, a ioat connected to. said valve for operating the same, a rod connected to said valve and extending out of said booster casing, resilient means including a spring coiled around said `rod normally tending to project said valve and rod in one direction, means for adjusting the tension of said spring, and removable means incloslng said adjusting means.

22.v In combination, an air lift booster comprising a booster casing and means for maintaining a substantially constant liquidv level in -said booster, comprising a valve controlling the discharge of air therefrom, a valve casing, afloat connected to said valve for operating the same, a rod connected to said valve and extending out of said booster casing, resilient means including a spring coiled around said rod normally tending to project said valve and rod in one direction, means for adjusting the tension of said spring, means inclosing said rod and spring removably attached to said valve casing, and a removable cap inclosing said adjustlng means.

23. In an air lift booster, in combination, a booster casing, a valve controlling the discharge of air therefrom, a .valve casing, a

ioat connected to said valve for operating i the same, a rod connected to said valve and extending out of said booster casing,"resilient means including a spring coiled around vsaid rod normally tending to project said valve and rod in one direction, means for I JOHN OLIPHNT. 

